PART I
When you do an internet search for attacks on the doctrine of the Rapture, you will come up with at least a dozen attacks (if not more). Some examples are shown below:
1. The United Church of God (UCG): ‘The rapture, often called "the blessed hope," is sadly more hoax than hope, even though the man who started it had no intention of deceiving anyone. You need to know what the Bible actually says!’
2. www.bible.ca: ‘Rapture doctrine did not exist before John Darby invented it in 1830 AD. Before it "popped into John Darby's head" no one had ever heard of a secret rapture doctrine.’
3. www.endtimesprophecy.org: ‘There is a teaching today that is rife within the Christian world, called the rapture. What is the rapture theory? It is believed by those who hold to this theory (and there are MANY who do), that the "church" will be raptured away to heaven and then the earth will continue for a period of seven years (called the tribulation) in which the inhabitants of the earth will be plunged into a time of great trouble and strife (more so than now). So according to this teaching there is a separation to take place between the saved and the lost BEFORE the end of the world.’
4. Sheffield Chapel (a Second Advent church): ‘We disagree with the doctrine of the secret rapture on exegetical grounds (it is nowhere to be found in Scripture… anywhere…)’
There are many more similar attacks which are either ill-informed, or malicious, or plain ignorant. And on exegetical grounds, no one could possibly deny this doctrine. So every Christian should know that a plain study of the Bible – apart from anything written for or against the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church – is sufficient to establish this as a very important and critical Christian doctrine.
1. THE REASON FOR THE RESURRECTION/RAPTURE
Before we even study the relevant passages, we need to ask ourselves “What exactly is the reason for the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints?” And unless we clearly understand God’s plan of salvation in Christ, we will not understand why the Resurrection/Rapture is critical.
We read in Romans 8:29,30: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
While sanctification is not mentioned here, we know from the New Testament that God’s plan of salvation includes (1) justification, (2) sanctification, and (3) glorification. And the opponents of the Rapture conveniently forget that the saints must be glorified, and receive incorruptible, immortal, and glorified bodies, before they enter Heaven for the Marriage of the Lamb. Therefore the Resurrection/Rapture is a single event before the Second Coming of Christ.
2. CHRIST PRESENTED THE RAPTURE BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION
Enemies of the Rapture also conveniently forget that it was not John Nelson Darby in the 19th century but the Lord Jesus Christ is 30 AD, who first presented the doctrine of the Rapture to his apostles before His crucifixion. Which means that all the attacks on Darby and Scofield are bogus. And when misguided people call this a “theory” they are making Christ out to be a liar.
JOHN 14:1-3: THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS TO HEAVEN
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
The key phrase here is “I will come again and receive you unto myself”. While this was first addressed to the apostles, it has general application to all the saints, since the apostles died as martyrs, and Christ did not come back from Heaven in the first century to take them up to Heaven. As we can see from the martyrdom of Stephen, Christ remained in Heaven and received the soul and spirit of Stephen upon his death (Acts 7).
When you do an internet search for attacks on the doctrine of the Rapture, you will come up with at least a dozen attacks (if not more). Some examples are shown below:
1. The United Church of God (UCG): ‘The rapture, often called "the blessed hope," is sadly more hoax than hope, even though the man who started it had no intention of deceiving anyone. You need to know what the Bible actually says!’
2. www.bible.ca: ‘Rapture doctrine did not exist before John Darby invented it in 1830 AD. Before it "popped into John Darby's head" no one had ever heard of a secret rapture doctrine.’
3. www.endtimesprophecy.org: ‘There is a teaching today that is rife within the Christian world, called the rapture. What is the rapture theory? It is believed by those who hold to this theory (and there are MANY who do), that the "church" will be raptured away to heaven and then the earth will continue for a period of seven years (called the tribulation) in which the inhabitants of the earth will be plunged into a time of great trouble and strife (more so than now). So according to this teaching there is a separation to take place between the saved and the lost BEFORE the end of the world.’
4. Sheffield Chapel (a Second Advent church): ‘We disagree with the doctrine of the secret rapture on exegetical grounds (it is nowhere to be found in Scripture… anywhere…)’
There are many more similar attacks which are either ill-informed, or malicious, or plain ignorant. And on exegetical grounds, no one could possibly deny this doctrine. So every Christian should know that a plain study of the Bible – apart from anything written for or against the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church – is sufficient to establish this as a very important and critical Christian doctrine.
1. THE REASON FOR THE RESURRECTION/RAPTURE
Before we even study the relevant passages, we need to ask ourselves “What exactly is the reason for the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints?” And unless we clearly understand God’s plan of salvation in Christ, we will not understand why the Resurrection/Rapture is critical.
We read in Romans 8:29,30: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
While sanctification is not mentioned here, we know from the New Testament that God’s plan of salvation includes (1) justification, (2) sanctification, and (3) glorification. And the opponents of the Rapture conveniently forget that the saints must be glorified, and receive incorruptible, immortal, and glorified bodies, before they enter Heaven for the Marriage of the Lamb. Therefore the Resurrection/Rapture is a single event before the Second Coming of Christ.
2. CHRIST PRESENTED THE RAPTURE BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION
Enemies of the Rapture also conveniently forget that it was not John Nelson Darby in the 19th century but the Lord Jesus Christ is 30 AD, who first presented the doctrine of the Rapture to his apostles before His crucifixion. Which means that all the attacks on Darby and Scofield are bogus. And when misguided people call this a “theory” they are making Christ out to be a liar.
JOHN 14:1-3: THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS TO HEAVEN
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
The key phrase here is “I will come again and receive you unto myself”. While this was first addressed to the apostles, it has general application to all the saints, since the apostles died as martyrs, and Christ did not come back from Heaven in the first century to take them up to Heaven. As we can see from the martyrdom of Stephen, Christ remained in Heaven and received the soul and spirit of Stephen upon his death (Acts 7).
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